The Alpha's Secret Mate

Chapter 2: The Mark Beneath His Skin

Liam did not sleep.

Every time he closed his eyes, he saw the same red eyes staring through the window.

We found you.

The words had been washed away before sunrise, but Liam could still see them in his mind.

He sat on the edge of his narrow bed inside the healing house, staring at his hands. They were trembling.

Not from fear.

From the pain in his chest.

Kael’s rejection had left something behind. Every breath reminded Liam of it. His wolf was unusually quiet, curled somewhere deep inside him as if it had been wounded.

Liam touched his chest.

“You deserved better,” he whispered to himself.

The words barely left his mouth before a strange heat spread beneath his collarbone.

He froze.

Slowly, he pulled down the neck of his shirt.

The crescent-shaped birthmark was glowing.

Not faintly.

Brightly.

A pale silver light pulsed beneath his skin.

Liam stumbled toward the mirror.

“What are you?”

The mark answered with pain.

His vision blurred.

For one second, the room disappeared.

He saw a stone altar beneath a moonlit sky.

Black trees surrounded it.

Something enormous moved behind them.

Then a voice whispered his name.

“Liam–”

He jerked away from the mirror.

The light vanished.

A loud knock struck the door.

Liam nearly jumped out of his skin.

“Liam!”

He recognized the voice.

“Elias?”

The door opened.

His older brother stood there, soaked from the rain, his hunter's jacket torn and stained with blood.

Liam rushed toward him.

“What happened?”

Elias shut the door behind him.

“The northern border was attacked again.”

Liam's stomach dropped.

“How many?”

“Three dead.”

Silence settled between them.

Elias looked exhausted.

His eyes moved over Liam's face.

“You look terrible.”

“I didn't sleep.”

“Because of the attack?”

Liam hesitated.

He couldn't tell Elias about Kael.

Not after the Alpha's warning.

Not after the rejection.

“Something like that.”

Elias studied him for another moment, but before he could ask more, the pack bell rang.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

An emergency meeting.

Elias grabbed his jacket.

“Moonstone Hall.”

Liam followed.

The great hall was already crowded when they arrived. Warriors stood along the walls while elders gathered around the central table.

At the front stood Kael.

He looked as though he hadn't slept either.

His black hair was still damp, and the cut above his eyebrow had been cleaned, leaving a thin line of dried blood.

Liam's heart betrayed him.

It beat harder.

Kael looked directly at him.

Their eyes met.

For a moment, the Alpha's controlled expression cracked.

Liam saw the pain there.

Then Kael looked away.

“Three warriors were killed at the northern border,” Kael announced. “There was no warning. No scent was detected before the attack.”

Ronan stepped forward.

“We found black claw marks near the bodies.”

Whispers spread through the hall.

Kael's expression darkened.

“Until we know who is behind these attacks, no wolf leaves the territory alone.”

A few warriors nodded.

Liam remained silent.

He felt someone watching him.

When he turned, Elder Orin was staring directly at his collarbone.

The ancient elder's face had gone pale.

Liam instinctively covered the mark.

Orin looked away.

But not quickly enough.

After the meeting ended, Liam waited until the crowd began leaving.

Then he followed the elder.

“Elder Orin.”

The old wolf stopped.

Liam approached him.

“You know something about my mark.”

Orin's shoulders stiffened.

“I don't know what you're talking about.”

“You were staring at it.”

“I was looking at nothing.”

“Then look me in the eyes and say that.”

Orin slowly turned.

His eyes were filled with something Liam hadn't expected.

Fear.

“You need to forget what you saw.”

Liam's voice dropped.

“Why?”

“Because some truths are dangerous.”

“That isn't an answer.”

Orin glanced around before lowering his voice.

“Never let anyone take you to the Lunar Shrine.”

Liam frowned.

“The Lunar Shrine?”

Orin's face tightened.

“Especially not if your mark begins to glow.”

Liam's blood ran cold.

“How do you know about it?”

The elder stepped closer.

“Because if your blood wakes there—”

“Liam.”

Kael's voice cut through the hall.

Orin immediately stepped back.

Kael approached, his eyes moving between them.

“What are you doing?”

Liam folded his arms.

“Talking.”

Kael looked at Orin.

The elder lowered his head.

“I should return to my quarters.”

He walked away.

Liam watched him disappear.

Then he turned toward Kael.

“What does he know?”

“Nothing.”

“You're lying.”

Kael's jaw tightened.

“Go back to the healing house.”

“No.”

Kael stared at him.

Liam refused to look away.

“You rejected me. Fine. But you don't get to order me around and expect me to obey.”

Something flashed in Kael's eyes.

Before he could respond, a scream came from outside.

Both of them turned.

The training grounds erupted into chaos.

Warriors were running toward the eastern side of the compound.

Kael sprinted first.

Liam followed.

A warrior lay on the ground near the weapons racks.

His throat had been torn open.

Blood spread beneath him.

And carved into the wooden training post behind his body were four deep black claw marks.

Liam's stomach turned.

Kael crouched beside the body.

“Everyone stay back.”

Ronan approached.

“This wasn't a normal wolf attack.”

Kael stood.

“Seal the grounds.”

A sudden movement caught Liam's attention.

Something slipped between the trees beyond the training field.

Black.

Fast.

Watching.

Liam's breath caught.

The same feeling from the healing house returned.

Someone was calling him.

Not with words.

With something deeper.

His feet moved before he could stop them.

“Liam!”

He ignored Kael.

He ran into the forest.

Branches scratched his arms as he pushed through the trees.

The voice became clearer.

Come.

Liam stopped.

The forest had gone silent.

No birds.

No insects.

Not even wind.

Then a black wolf stepped between the trees.

It was enormous.

Its fur was darker than the night surrounding it.

But its eyes were silver.

Liam couldn't move.

The wolf stared directly at his chest.

At the mark beneath his skin.

Liam's birthmark ignited.

The wolf lowered its head.

A voice echoed inside Liam's mind.

Blood remembers what wolves forget.

Liam stumbled backward.

“Who are you?”

The wolf took one step forward.

The ground beneath Liam's feet trembled.

Then something crashed through the trees behind him.

Kael.

“Liam!”

The black wolf vanished.

Kael reached him seconds later.

He grabbed Liam's shoulders.

“Are you hurt?”

Liam stared at him.

“You followed me.”

“I told you to stay behind.”

“You followed me.”

Kael's hands tightened.

His eyes searched Liam's face, then moved to his collarbone.

The mark was still glowing through the fabric.

Kael's expression changed.

“Who did you see?”

Liam swallowed.

“A wolf.”

“What kind?”

“Black.”

Kael went still.

“Did it speak?”

Liam hesitated.

“Yes.”

Kael's face hardened.

“What did it say?”

“Blood remembers what wolves forget.”

Neither of them spoke.

Ronan arrived moments later with several warriors.

Kael turned toward them.

“Search the forest.”

The warriors scattered.

Liam looked at Kael.

“You know what that means.”

Kael didn't answer.

“You know what that wolf is.”

“I know enough to know you're in danger.”

“Because of my mark?”

Kael stepped closer.

His voice lowered.

“Someone inside this pack knows what you are.”

Liam's heart stopped.

“What am I?”

Kael's eyes held his.

“I don't know yet.”

“Then why are you afraid?”

Kael didn't answer.

A sudden c***k came from deeper in the forest.

Everyone turned.

A tree stood ahead of them.

Something had been carved into its trunk.

Liam stepped closer.

Four black claw marks surrounded a message.

His blood turned cold as he read it.

THE LUNAR BLOOD HAS AWAKENED.

Kael stared at the words.

Then he looked at Liam.

For the first time since the night he had rejected their bond, Liam saw something unmistakable in the Alpha's eyes.

Fear. Not fear for himself but fear of what was coming for Liam.